[Prostate carcinoma and testosterone: risks and controversies]

Hypogonadism is a clinical and biochemical syndrome which may cause significant detriment in the quality of life. With the increase in life expectancy and prostate cancer survival a significant increase in the number of men with hypogonadism who have undergone presumably curative treatment for PCa is anticipated. Despite the widespread contraindication of testosterone in men with known or suspected prostate cancer, there is no convincing evidence that the normalization of testosterone serum levels in men with low, but not castrate levels, is deleterious. Although further studies are necessary before definitive conclusions can be drawn, the available evidence suggests that testosterone replacement therapy can be cautiously considered in selected hypogonadal men treated with curative intent for low risk prostate cancer and without evidence of active disease.